Context for Learning Information

Provide the requested context information for the class selected for this assessment.
This format is designed to be completed electronically. Use as much space as needed to respond.

About the school where you are teaching

1. Where are you teaching?
X Middle school

2. List any specialized features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher) that will affect your teaching in this learning segment.
-para-educator

3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might impact your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.
Required curricula: New economic unit__

About the subject area/course you are teaching

4. What is the name of the course you are documenting? Geography 7
5. What is the length of the course? o one semester × one year o other (describe) _
6. What is the class schedule (e.g., 50 minutes every day, 90 minutes every other day)? 45 minute class every day
7. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in mathematics? If so, please describe. No
8. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for mathematics instruction. If a textbook, please provide the name, publisher, and date of publication. N/A
9. List other resources (e.g., SmartBoard, graphing calculators, on-line resources) you use for mathematics instruction in this class. N/A

About the students in the class featured in this assessment

10. Grade level composition of the class 7th

11. Number of:
a. students in the class 30
b. males 16 females 14
c. English language learners 1
d. students identified as gifted and talented 2
e. students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans 2

  1. 12. Complete the chart below to summarize the required accommodations or modifications for special education students or gifted and talented students that will affect your mathematics instruction in this learning segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. The first row has been completed in italics as an example. Use as many rows as you need.


Special Education Category
Number of Students
Accommodations/Pertinent IEP Objectives
Example:
Learning Disability
Example:
4
Example:
Close monitoring, follow up, and Resource Room
Learning Disability


ELL
2


1
Close monitoring of a para-educator and allow student to do daily work with para-educator.


Student is able to communicate efficiently verbally; inadequate grammar is not subjected to penalization in assessment.
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ANALYSIS MATRIX FOR INFORMAL ASSESSMENT


MSU Student Name Lance Roehlke

Name of Unit Pencil Economics

Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will be able to explain many real-life examples of how supply and demand affect an economy.

2. Students will be able to explain the following terms: collateral, competition, credit, demand, economy, lien, market, and supply.

3. How the economy works in a market economy.


Question
Percent of Students whose answers closely matched Objective 1
Percent of Students whose answers closely matched Objective 2
Percent of Students whose answers closely matched Objective 3
Patterns or Themes noted in students’ answers.
1. What is the main idea of today’s lesson?
21%
0
36.8%


Most students believed that the main idea of the lesson was the “economy.” Though short, it does elude to the fact that they were attentive. Their answers to question 2 reflect an understanding of at least one of the objectives.

Percent of Students who gave significant information.


Examples of some answers


2. What are two important things learned?
68.5%




Many of the answers focused on the terms. The answers referenced the terms and related them to objective 1 and 2.
Examples:
“I learned that collateral means that if someone gives you something, you give them something until you pay.”
“I learned that a lien is when you have a legal claim, to a collateral item; I learned that if you are only store selling a product, you can make it more expensive because they can’t get it anywhere else.”
“I learned how there is competition between stores and how the market effects the price of goods.”

Percent of students who identified unit


Examples of answers that showed connection between lesson and unit.
3. What is the unit we are studying?What is the unit we are studying?
84%










“How businesses work. It helped because I can see why businesses have to go low to get more customers.”
“The lesson is economy. The lesson helped me understand how marketing works.”




List themes of student answers
4. Things Student teacher did to help you learn?





The students show a common theme of enjoying visual learning. Most students commented on how Mr. Sharpsteen and Mr. Roehlke’s “skit” was “fun to watch” as well as relevant to everyday economics.
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Video Critique

Watching the video of Mr. Sharpsteen and I teaching is an interesting experience. I think that because of the way that we planned our lesson, watching the video gives it a different feel from a lesson that we expect to see a teacher doing in front of a class. Mr. Sharpsteen and I planned our lesson off of the sheet that was given to us from Mr. Broze, which had a story based idea. So that is what Mr. Sharpsteen and I ended up doing. We created a worksheet with the vocabulary words that we were going to teach and we rehearsed the story that we were going to use to teach the words, almost like how one would rehearse a speech. So when I am watching the video, I perceive I as I am watching a speech I wrote. I can’t decide if that is good or bad, but a little weird for sure.

All that being said, there were some things that I believe Mr. Sharpsteen and I did really well. Right out of the gate, we explained the purpose of the worksheet they were given. The words would be added to their vocab log and needed to be known. The words were what we were going to be stressed throughout the lesson. I do actually believe that the students picked up what we were trying to teach. It seemed as though the story we told helped them retain and understand the words being taught. The evidence came in the formative assessment of writing a short paragraph with the words they just learned. Upon walking around the class and checking on what the students were writing, the students were actually writing sentences with the correct usage of the words we defined. Although the story is awkward to watch on the video and maybe weird as lesson, it worked really well.

After watching the video there are a few things that I think could have been done better as well. Once we were given the opportunity to teach our lesson, it took us a while to get the kids gathered and have their full attention. This could have been happening while we were passing out the papers and not after. It looked as though that is what I wanted to try and do while I was passing stuff out, but was unsuccessful. I hope that this is something I get better at with more experience.

Another thing I noticed right away was my inability to stand still and stop twitching. While I was up in front of the class, I didn’t really feel nervous, but I sure looked like I was. I’m clutching at my hands, rocking back and forth, pacing in front of the class. I feel bad for the students and distraction that I may have caused. I think another part of my nervousness was my need to rush through everything. I called on the first hand I saw up, even if it was the last person I called on. I really should be including more students. I also didn’t give the students to catch up on the information being presented on the slide show. I almost instantly jumped into the next word. I think I need to remember to stop, breathe, and move on.

My above mentioned issues with nerves played into the environment and climate of the classroom. I do think there was a good vibe in the classroom. But this is one that was created and sustained by Mr. Broze. We were given the floor from Mr. Broze, and the students gave us the opportunity because of their relationship with him. If the students got ‘out of line,’ Mr. Broze took care of it, not us. So I think that in that sense, Mr. Sharpsteen and I never got the full experience of managing a classroom. Mr. Broze was in the room the entire time working at his desk, and his students recognized that. He has developed and excellent environment for learning and the students respect him. All of which can be seen in the video while we are teaching.

When it was all said and done, I think the coolest thing I got to watch on the video was me having fun with the students. I was legitimately enjoying the opportunity to share a lesson that Mr. Sharpsteen and I created, with students who are eager to learn. It is reassuring watching it, knowing that this is what I was meant to do. It is also disheartening that my immaturity coming out of high school was so quick to discredit the idea of becoming a teacher, which ultimately delayed my graduation. I am so excited about the opportunities that have already been given to me and those that are still ahead of me. The experience in Mr. Broze class was awesome and loved watching the video.

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